A Very Happy Thanksgiving at Erna's Elderberry House

Ross and I enjoyed the most amazing Thanksgiving Dinner this year at Erna’s Elderberry House in Oakhurst California. We had dined there previously and were absolutely blown away by the experience and of course were hoping for a repeat!  We were not disappointed!!

Everything about this meal was a pleasure, from the phone call to make the reservation, the follow-up call, the welcome at the front door to the personalized menu. Even though the three dining rooms were fairly full each member of the staff that we interacted with treated us as though they had waited for our visit all their lives! Nothing perfunctory here!

After we were settled in our places in the colorful and eclectic dining room we were presented with a treat not listed on the menu…Chef Gunnar Thompson’s version of a classic Austrian Liptauer. This tangy cheese sauce was thinner than we’ve experienced but redolent of anchovies and capers. It was the perfect start to the meal along with the slivers of baguette.

The Amuse Bouche was a gloriously presented Smoked Salmon terrine with a trio of garni including caviar and a golden beet tartare. Most exquisite!

The wine pairing was a delightful 2006 Domaine Carneros Brut from Carneros, Napa which was yeasty and nutty and a perfect complement to the Salmon.

Following that was a slice of Pan Roasted Speckled Trout with a colorful and amazingly tasty  ‘hash’ of Bacon, sweet potato and turnip. The trout was crisp on the outside and moist inside with an unforgettable flavor! Again, a lovely presentation.

We were surprised to see that the wine pairing with the trout was a 2007 Emeritus Pinot Noir from the Russian River but the match was made in heaven. The Pinot Noir was light with some fruit and had just the right amount of body to complement to course!

The Lobster Bisque which followed was garnished with roasted pumpkinseed pesto and  possibly the tangiest grilled oyster mushrooms we’ve ever tasted. It was almost as if they had been grilled in lime or lemon juice.  The bisque itself was creamy and tangy and more than one of our neighboring diners was overheard wishing that they could lick their bowl!

A classic Alsatian Gewürztraminer accompanied the Bisque. This Trimbach Cuvee Des Seigneurs de Ribeapierre was very full-bodied for a white wine and had the traditional notes of lychee and apricot. Though it was not as fruit-forward as ‘New World’ Gewürztraminers it was a most pleasant match for the very tangy Bisque.

The main course was next and while everything was tasty it was the only where the presentation was less than stellar. Perhaps it was because of the volume of the food which was overwhelming!  The plate included: succulent slices of roast free-range turkey both dark and white, dressed in a cipollini onion gravy, potato-chive puree, spinach braised with beech mushrooms and an amazing cranberry-clementine sauce. The turkey was as moist and flavorful as any I’ve ever had, though there was an herb in the infusion that we just couldn’t place.

That’s not all!  There was also Pan seared loin of venison with an elderberry-cinnamon jus (Erna raises her own elderberries) , haricots vert and a winter squash bread pudding which seemed somehow bland next to everything else. The venison was seared on the outside and tender and rare on the inside the flavor was exquisite.

This course was paired with Margerum M5 2007  an amazingly full-bodied blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre from the Santa Ynez valley. This breathtaking wine had notes of raspberries, blackberries and licorice which was such a pleasant experience I felt compelled to request a second glass. Our ever so pleasant host realized how fond we were of this selection and presented a third glass without us having to ask!

Following the main course was a lovely presentation of field lettuces, Fuyu Persimmons and toasted hazelnuts in a tangy spiced cider vinaigrette garnished with crisp honey wafers.  This palate-cleanser was very refreshing, the wafers were redolent of the honey the only quibble was the hazelnuts were all but impossible to find!

The wine with the desert course was a Torrontes, Tardio a late harvest version of the popular Argentine white grape from Mendoza, Argentina. Not as fruit-forward as some late harvests but with a full bodied sweetness with notes of Apricot and honey…delightful!

The desserts were all but overwhelming: A tasty bourbon-pumpkin pie garnished with Maple Ice Cream and a Honey Cornmeal pound cake garnished with caramelized pears and a breathtaking Riesling cream.

With the Torrontes and a good dark roast coffee this was the perfect finish to a wonderful dining experience.

In the interest of full disclosure, Erna’s is not for the feint of wallet! Unless you’re heir to a major fortune or a lottery winner it’s the kind of place you’ll want to save for a very special occasion!  The prix fixe menu for Thanksgiving was $105 per person. With 5 paired wines it become $173 plus tax. There are more reasonable priced selections on less special occasions.

Expensive? yes....but we've already made reservations for Christmas!!

Erna’s Elderberry House 48688 Victoria Lane, Oakhurst CA 559-683-6800

www.elderberryhouse.com 

Also posted on www.foodnuts.com 

The First Few Days in Fresno

October 31 – Sunday……….Happy Halloween!!!

The trip to Fresno was uneventful. It was a late start – 11AM - but we don’t have far to go! Filled up on gas and propane before we left Lodi. It’s Sunday so traffic is quite light and we make Fresno in good time – 3PM.

We settle into the park. They were expecting us tomorrow so we are put into the “over flow” area but it still has water, power, and sewer. Took the dogs for a quick walk and to look at the space we will be taking over tomorrow – nice…..really nice (the park manager called it the Cadillac spot). Then as while Ed checks out the WiFi, Ross did the laundry.

Most RV parks really soak you on their washing machines and dryers – charging the earth (up to $2.50 a load) or the machines are so elderly you don’t get clothes clean. Here the machines are elderly but serviceable and it’s only $1 per load – wash and dry!!

Hop in the car and set out to explore Fresno…. not much is changed. The Fashion Fair Mall is still there and still looking for some big stores to fill the vacancy left by Gottschalk’s clothing but most of the businesses are still there and the parking lot (5:30 on a Sunday) is pretty full. It is only 3KM from the RV park to the mall compared to 10KM last year!!

Dinner is at our favourite restaurant – El Pescador. This Mexican seafood restaurant is still going strong and the best part is they remember us!! We walked in and up to the counter, one of the servers saw us and disappeared for a short time, then one of the owners and the chef came around the corner and greeted us like old friends. Anyway, they again told us to find a table and they would get us something to eat. We picked up a couple of draft Modelo beer and sat down. The dinner that was served was amazing – seasoned grilled fish covered with thin sliced tomatoes and onions, rice, and salad. VERY good and we will be back!!!

Back home and put Ed in the lazy chair with a heating pad and some pain killers. Somehow when we were unhooking the car this afternoon he pulled a muscle in his back and it keeps twinging all at the wrong times!!! He will be better tomorrow!!!!

November 1- 3 Monday through Wednesday

We get the word that we can move to our new spot. We get settled and take off for a bit more adventure. The WiFi at the park is a little ‘iffy’ but we can still get email although it may take a couple of years to download. Apparently they have been having a few complaints about the reception and are trying to correct it.

Have contacted Santa Jake and he will meet us at the mall on Thursday. Photo company will be here on the Tuesday to set up and we might be able to go out for dinner with Brett (the boss) as it’s his birthday in a few days. On Tuesday we learned that the mall was not ready for us so we will have to wait to have a meeting of the minds on Wednesday. This means that Brett will not be staying over in Fresno so we will have to take him out for dinner some other time.

Ross went back to his hair stylist on the 3^rd for another bleaching. He always has fun at the Beehive……well the bleaching isn’t so much fun, but talking to Mike is definitely a great time. Mike and his partner, Bill, have invited us over to their place sometime soon…………..HEY, we’re making friends!!!!

The mall meeting went as expected with the exception we met the brand new general manager. He seems to have been around the ‘mall’ business for a few years and is willing to think “outside the box” re problems. The marketing manager is the same from last year. The ‘hovel’, ‘cave’, change room is also the same – a large storage ‘room’ housing blueprints of the mall and having no water, sewer, or electricity.

We have asked that the room be ready for me ASAP. It only needs a large piece of carpeting, a space heater, an additional table, a couple of chairs, general cleaning (as this place is rarely used and houses only old blueprints, you can only imagine what the air quality is like, plus dirt, melge, and ++dust), a clothes rack, a coffee table, and assorted other things. We also got dates for “Wake Up Santa” and other possible media opportunities. Looks like we have a season people!!!

Set looks great….. a few less trees but that may change in the next couple of days. Photo stuff is in and ready to go. Supplies are all laid in. We even have a couple of boxes extra of candy canes!!!! Ed got his orientation re working on the set and running the cash register. Set manager and Ross have had a couple of tête-à-têtes.

November 4 – Thursday

Today was supposed to be fairly relaxed so Ross can conserve some energy. Unfortunately the room is not ready for us, the mall admin has been concentrating on getting the set ready. Ross throws a hissy fit and finally (at 6PM) the room is ready. Although we have to say that all requirements that we wanted are in place and the room is clean. We move outfits, etc into the place and think we are ready to rumble. By the way, have we told you that Ed has been invited to work on set part time?? Probably will be brought onto the set in the later part of the season when everyone is needed for crowd control.

The dogs have been less than enthused that we have been taking off every day without them, but now the season has started they should be getting their three or four daily walks. Mojo is looking forward to seeing “his” squirrel again and Teddy looks forward to any outing. We have also asked about someone in the park that would be able to take them out for a quick piddle when both of us are working – there seems to be a couple of people available.

WiFi problems seem to have corrected themselves – we took the computer out on the patio and we got screaming hot connectivity – go figure.

Ed signed up at a local gym just around the corner. This company has 4 gyms in Fresno!! The place is massive. Row upon row of workout equipment. Ross counted at least 8 rows (about 20 machines in each row) of treadmills, 5 rows of elliptical trainers, 3 rows of bicycles, and recumbent bikes……..plus a huge area of free weights, some other weight equipment, a “Junior” Olympic pool (with sauna, steam room, and whirlpool), open rooms for aerobics etc, showers, etc etc. The place is incredible. Ed will try and get a picture.

So tomorrow (Nov 5) we open the season………wish us luck!!!!!

Nov 7 – Sunday

Opening day on the 5^th (Friday) was a hoot. It was a ‘soft’ opening so all kinks can be worked out, signals between Santa and the crew can be finalized, get all the electronics working the way they are supposed to, and “test the waters”. Well, we not only got off to a great start, I think we surprised everyone – one of the best openings ever!! Lots of people in the mall, and they are buying. Hopefully this is not a fluke and bodes well for the season.

Fresno is an interesting study in demographics – some retired/elderly, lots of young couples and the resulting babies, and a requisite number of teenagers. The folks we are seeing at the moment are middle to upper class, mind you the mall is slanted to the higher end of merchandise so that may skew the demographics a bit.

Saturday (the real opening) we saw much the same as Friday. And we went WAY over our goal!!! Lots and lots of good kids, some with some very interesting requests – “one of your reindeer”, “a unicorn”, “my mother who died a couple of months ago”, “full recovery from breast cancer for our friend”, “a puppy”, “peace and love for my whole family……and get my family back together again”, etc.

Sunday (the short day – only 6 hours but also only one break) was great. We may not have broken any records re goals but we still had lots of laughs. Like the young teen girl sneaking around the corner to catch a glimpse of Santa without him seeing….then being totally surprised that Santa had chosen that moment to stretch his legs and grab a sip or two of water. She was so surprised that Santa was actually “waiting” for her, she stopped, looked at Santa, and screamed!!! We had a couple of children that walked away from their parents and appeared on set – so had to have security take care of them until the terrified parents could be found.

For those of you not familiar with what happens on a Santa set – here is Ross’ day in a nutshell:

10AM – arrive at the change room (more about the change room later) and get ready and into Santa outfit

11AM – make entrance (ensuring that the new bell strap that Buck and Bruce gave Ross for his birthday is not too loud)

11 – 1 – greet children, listen to their wishes, answer questions, ask questions, sit for photos, STAY IN CHARACTER AT ALL TIMES, make sure crew is happy and working well.

1 – 1:45 – lunch with Ed back at the cave (change room)

1:45 – 4:30 – more sitting for photos, asking and answering questions, etc

4:30 – 5:15 – coffee with Ed and sometimes the dogs

5:15 – 8:00 – more of the same

8PM – Ed picks Ross up at the change room and home; have a drink, then dinner, a bit of email, bed

So while Ross is doing “his thing” what is Ed doing?? Good question. He has most mornings at the gym (and ogling the good looking people), then answering his emails, making lunch and dinner for Ross and himself, laundry, taking the dogs for walkies,……..OH, and today he went to a winery (Quady) for a tasting and to pick up some Elysium…black Muscat dessert wine…yumm!!!! AND to buy a ticket for the Madera Wine Trail Celebration next week. Includes special events at about nine Madera wineries. Quady is having a vertical tasting of about a dozen of their ports along with local artisan cheeses and cigars! Another of the wineries is doing much the same but actually rolling the cigars on site. A full report in the next edition!!